(CNN) – Three Democratic sources close to Rahm Emanuel tell CNN that the White House chief of staff informed senior colleagues he is all but certain to run for mayor of Chicago, and will leave the White House to take the final exploratory steps.
Close associates are already building a campaign team according to sources.
An announcement by Emanuel is expected to be scheduled for Friday, sources said.
One of the sources, a prominent Democrat close to the White House chief of staff, told CNN, "We see nothing that will stop a run. But you don't announce a campaign for mayor of Chicago in Washington, D.C. You leave and go home and finish your business there."
The second source said Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg's research of a possible mayoral run for Emanuel was "very positive. He has some obvious things to deal with, but it was very encouraging."
Asked what the potential issues were, the source said "nothing you wouldn't expect. Just reminding people Chicago always was before Washington."
Assuming there is no hitch - and none is expected - longtime Obama adviser Pete Rouse is in line to be tapped as interim chief of staff, two of the sources said.
All of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the White House personnel turnover and the campaign planning.
More:
Rahm Emanuel's pending departure is the lead-off topic for CNN's John King and Bob Costantini.
To subscribe to the Political Notebook podcast in iTunes click here:
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Yeah! Now if we can just get rid of Nancy Pilosi!
Good Riddance to another FAILING RAT leaving the sinking Ship. Failed Policies and Higher Unemployment, the Obama Administration should ALL LEAVE including the Biggest BOZO OBAMA.
'Bout time. Now if Obama would get rid of Geitner and Duncan, he might get some things done. I'm not sure when he got these people, he didn't vet them too well. Pulled a McCain on us.
Too bad really, he was one of the strongest guys in the administration.
Chicago's loss is our gain!
Good maybe now we can actually get a competent chief of staff who doesn't go around harassing others.
So what? Everyone is else is leaving the White House. Perhaps Obama will follow the trend?
Chicago. A city that is perennially spoken of as corrupt.
Good ridance. He belongs in Chicago. Chicago style politics have proven disastrous for this country. Rahm is going to try to distance himseslf from Obama. The ship is sinking, the rats are leaving. The top rats leave first. The rest of this administration is going to be a succession of missteps, backpedalling, and novice mistakes. This will teach us to elect a well spoken, good looking multiracial gentleman with ABSOLUTELY NO QUALIFICATIONS, to the office of President. I believe Rahm is seeing this country go too far to the left and knows that the pendulum is swinging back real fast and furious.Good ridance!
Great job Rahm!! Wall Sreet reform, healthcare reform, and helped changed the failed direction in the Afghan war (hopefully for the better. Pretty darn good for just 18 months!
Okay, so I'm just wondering. So let's say this dude resigns, right? And so then he runs for mayor of Chicago right? And then .... HE LOSES!!! That would sort of be sad for this guy, right?
Good for Rahm
Anyone who was paying attention knew this was going to happen. Don't let the door hit ya, Rahm.
Good riddance to bad rubbish, Chicago can have him
With all the rats abandoning the sinking Obama ship, is there even enough staff left to make Obama's coffee for him? Or is he having to do it himself?
Clearly this guy has learned a few lessons from Sarah Palin. Besides, better to run from the Loop than from the White House
I like Chicago....and to my friends there I say: I'm sorry.
Big deal. He hasn't done anything in his current position and the mayor of Chicago is a few steps down.
This is breaking news? They have been saying this for 3 weeks.
One less troublemaker in Washington, Chicago can have him back.
I wonder, if obama is doing a great job, why he is losing everybody around him, and the nation is worse than ever.
He was implicated in the Blago trial and could be brought into it again with the retrial. Corrupt Illinois Democrats seem to be the norm and get reelected because of a corrupt news media, a corrupt union support, and gross ignorance of the Chicago electorate. Obama fit right in!
So the Chief of Staff to the world's most powerful man is quitting ... to run for mayor??? There ya go again burying the lead CNN
Geez, who saw that coming? Graft and corruption returning to the hotbed of both. Good riddance, slime...
If obama is doing a great job, why he is losing every body around him, and the nation is worse than ever.